1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to protective footgear and garments to protect the feet and legs during and after dirty work, particularly to protective booties with waterproof soles and easily-donned uppers or leggings of variable lengths. Such items can also be donned after dirty work when it is necessary to enter a cleaner area.
2. Discussion of Relevant Art
In many service occupations such as cable TV installation, the practitioners must work in both indoor and outdoor environments or in other situations where at least one environment is dirty and at least one other is clean. Dirty environments could be considered residential yards, barnyards or other areas where mud, moisture or debris are found, mechanical shops where the floors are dirty, greasy and contain metal shavings and similar debris, or areas of manufacturing or medical facilities which are not “clean” or sterile by the standards imposed by the respective industries. “Clean” environments include residential areas of homes, areas of medical facilities such as operating rooms or special wards where sterile conditions must be maintained, and areas of manufacturing facilities dealing with pharmaceuticals, semiconductor devices or the like where foreign particles must be minimized. Although various types of footgear have been manufactured to protect the feet for centuries, even millennia, the manufacture and use of specific types of footgear to prevent the transfer of contaminants from one environment to another is a relatively recent development. One example in the residential context is the Japanese custom of leaving the everyday shoes worn outdoors at the entrances of homes, restaurants, shrines and temples.
Large numbers of patents dating from the 19th Century to recent years disclose a wide variety of footgear filling various fashion and protective objectives.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,308 discloses a pattern for a “boot blank” which can have a leg portion attached when assembled. The material is rubbery, preferably faced on both sides with fabric. The boot with legs can be used for wading. At the top of column 6 (illustrated in FIG. 6), the boots are dipped in a polymeric material such as a latex solution, then vulcanized to provide greater water repellency and insulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 126,450 discloses a one-piece pattern for forming what is entitled an “improvement in shoes,” but is described as a “combined in-sole sock and slipper”. It is designed to be worn inside work boots as a spacer, and the insole can be waterproof. An elastic strap (I) is provided as a closure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,308 discloses a pattern for a “boot blank” which can have a leg portion attached when assembled. The material is rubbery, preferably faced on both sides with fabric. The boot with legs can be used for wading. At the top of column 6 (illustrated in FIG. 6), the boots are dipped in a polymeric material such as a latex solution, then vulcanized to provide greater water repellency and insulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,232 discloses foldable, lace-up overboots fabricated of thin flexible “rubber fabric,” with a rubber outer sole.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,258,024 discloses slip-on cloth overshoes formed from a one-piece pattern, designed to protect leather shoes from wear and keep the feet warmer.
U.S. Pat. No. 311,123 discloses a “cloth boot” with a medium leg, formed from a one-piece pattern of fabric, which can be waterproofed. The material suggests that the “boot” is actually intended for wear inside a larger boot.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,109 discloses conventional “sanitary shoe covers” or booties, which can be made from materials ranging from paper and fabrics to plastics. The bootie is retained on the foot by an elastic top, and a conducting tape is provided to prevent the buildup of static electricity.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,973,589 discloses an “adjustable baby shoe” which is formed from a single piece of soft leather, fabric or plastic and is retained in place by laces encircling the ankle.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,748,607 discloses an “emergency protective covering” for booted feet, formed of a single sheet of insulating material which can be protected on one side by paper, fabric or the like, treated or untreated. The covering is formed over the boot and retains its shape due to “pliable nonresilient means such as wire fabric.”
U.S. Pat. No. 1,009,772 discloses a “foot covering” formed from a one-piece pattern. Resembling slippers, these items are made from paper, fabric or other disposable material, for use by medical personnel. The top toe portions of the slipper overlap and are secured in place to fasten the shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 988,159 discloses a “dust moccasin” formed from a one-piece pattern of flexible material and intended to be worn over children's shoes when they enter carriages or cars from outside. Clasps are provided to hold the item together and on the child's shoes.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,305,926 discloses a “protective foot covering” which is lightweight, foldable and washable, being formed of materials such as oil silk, wax-treated paper or “cellophane”, preferably waterproof. The items are slipped onto the foot and fastened with an ankle lace.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,276,582 discloses “sanitary paper slippers” formed from a complicated one-piece pattern, having ventilation perforations and preferably made from waterproofed paper.
The following patents pertain to “boots”.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,313 discloses injection molded boots comprising a stretchable cloth base, a synthetic resin layer containing decorative patterns, and a transparent resin layer molded over the first layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 26,436 (1859) discloses an improved boot upper which is formed from a single-piece pattern which is stitched together.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,519,877 discloses a snowboard boot with thick uppers and sole, having a removable upper support fitting within the uppers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,862 discloses cold weather footwear comprising a boot which contains an inner preformed sock and an insole assembly.
The following patents pertain to “shoes”.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,210,475 discloses a “foot covering” which is formed from a one-piece pattern into a light, backless slipper which can be worn over hosiery and within an outer shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,475 discloses a slipper assembled from a single-piece pattern to provide a fleece-like surface both inside and out.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,997 (to Nike) discloses shoe uppers, a one-piece pattern and method of assembling same into low-cut shoe uppers. The material can be cloth, synthetic leather or leather, which can be imprinted and/or compression-molded with elastic or rubbery materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,208 discloses athletic shoes with soles which have an air cushion component.
U.S. Pat. No. 377,822 discloses a shoe or slipper formed from a one-piece pattern of suitable material and containing a plate to stiffen the inner sole.
The following patents pertain to leg coverings or leggings:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,884,284 discloses a foldable “protective garment” for covering the legs and feet when seated in a stadium or the like, formed of paper, fabric or waterproof materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,493,878 discloses a “hosiery guard” formed of a one-piece pattern of transparent, waterproof material, designed to cover a lady's leg and hosiery from foot to the knee. The guard or legging is closed by folding over two halves and snapping them together with mechanical snaps along the front or shin portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,559 discloses a “footwear accessory” which can be formed of various suitable materials and slips into a shoe over socks or hosiery, then covers a portion of the leg to create the appearance of a boot. The “stocking-like structure” can be fastened along the front with zippers, buttons or other closures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,525 discloses a “leg guard” to cover the legs and upper foot for protection while doing yard work, etc. The guards can be made of canvas, foam or sheet rubber or the like and fasten behind the leg and underfoot with a number of straps.
The following patents pertain to “slippers”:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,376,399 discloses foot coverings formed from a one-piece pattern for a slipper-like covering to be worn inside ladies' shoes. The material can be knit or woven fabrics such as used for hosiery.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,724,195 discloses a similar foot protector to be worn inside ladies' shoes, formed of a unitary piece of fabric and having elastic material around the foot opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,498 discloses a foot cover (or sock substitute) formed from a substantially Y-shaped one-piece blank of stretchable material. It serves a similar function as the two devices discussed above—wear inside ladies' shoes.
The last two patents pertain to prostheses and braces:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,479 discloses a foot prosthesis having a cushioned ankle and a molded, hollow foot portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,856 discloses a reinforced ankle and foot brace designed to fit inside a boot or high shoe. The support panels are formed from a plastic mesh designed to conform to the ankle.
Despite the many patents in the area of footgear and protective clothing, Applicants have found no single design which is potentially as useful or convenient for a person who works daily in both “clean” and “dirty” areas, with frequent passage between such areas, as their invention disclosed and claimed below.